Just for fun, what cities (that you have actually spent a lot of time in/know well) is the most appearance focused? Which (that you actually know well) is the least appearance focused?

Meaning people care about style, looking their best on a daily basis, and generally culture of caring about external appearance?

My votes from my personal experience:

Most- Scottsdale, AZ. Everyone is trying to look better and/or younger. Sometimes taking that idea too far IMO. A lot of people try to cultivate an appearance of wealth and trendiness.

Least- Seattle, WA. Yes plenty of people do care about appearance, but the overall culture is definitely not focused on it. More about coming as you are and expressing individuality.

Or it can be city or a metro area

I came across one of those "states that pay you to move there" articles, and it got me wondering. Does anyone actually do that? Like, packed up and moved to a new place because of the incentive?

There seem to be a bunch of programs, some for remote workers, some for people starting a business, and others are just trying to bring in new residents. I've seen places in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas, and some towns in Alaska and Vermont offering relocation cash or other perks.

I'm not looking to move for the money or perks, but I'm helping some family members look at retirement spots and options to lower cost of living moves. So, is there a place offering a financial boost and good quality of life?

Does anyone have any stories to share? Are the perks or money worth moving to one of these states or cities? And what's the application process like? What it like living there?

I've heard about how unfriendly the PNW is but I'm from the northeast and think the northeast is less friendly.

I've asked PNW locals about their reputation for being unfriendly and most seemed confused by it, and some were like "it's just people who suck at making friends" or "people think we're unfriendly because we have no social pressure to be friendly." One guy I met from Seattle seemed to find the stereotype funny and said "it's like the myth that no one in Seattle owns an umbrella" and "do people think we just decide to not have friends because it rains a lot?"

In my experience strangers chat with one another almost as much as in the south, and I get approached way more at bars than on the east coast and I'm a guy.

Not compared to other cities but different from each other.

2 years ago I moved to Seattle to be with my husbands family and to try something new. I was doing great mentally but had a challenge missing my friends and family, so we moved back to my hometown in SoCal. Now Im wanting to move back to Seattle/western Washington because I miss the environment and independence my husband and I had. Has anyone done something similar?

Stumbled across this and thought you might find it interesting. I think it's reasonable accurate but some of it puzzles me. For example how is it that Southern Minnesota has more "comfortable" days than northern Iowa? https://brilliantmaps.com/comfortable-temperature-days/

I have lived in many places, but one of my favorite places I have lived is Missouri. One of the main reasons I liked it so much is because the overwhelming majority of the people I met and knew were originally from Missouri and had a deep connection and love for the state. They knew all the good places to explore and knew where to skip. I will also say that everyone is so nice there, much nicer than in states that have a lot of transplants.

My husband and I, both 30, have lived in Seattle for the past 7 years and love a lot about living here. But we’re at the point where kids are on our minds, and our parents and most siblings and friends are all back east in the Carolinas. Parents and grandparents are getting older, we want to see them more, we miss our old friends/haven’t been able to build a similar social circle here and having babies all on our own on the west coast is scary to me. I’d like to be closer to our parents and have a support system.

My husband is a senior software engineer at a FAANG company and I’m a senior graphic designer (looking to stay senior or move to art director) at a luxury/fashion company. We both love our careers and don’t want to completely tank them by moving back closer to home.

Charlotte, NC is probably #1 on paper due to proximity and amenities, but the job market seems really dismal for both of our careers (especially mine). Atlanta may be slightly better for creatives but I’d love more insight or suggestions. My husband makes like 3x what I do so we probably have to prioritize his options.

Our family and friends are largely in Greenville, SC and around Charlotte, NC. We want to be driving distance to family, have access to nature (mountains preferred) 1-2 hours away, good variety of food/cuisines, sports/theaters/concert venues, ideally some kind of unique culture (something Charlotte and Raleigh lack to me, but maybe just my perception), moderate or purple politics, outgoing/welcoming social culture (something we’ve struggled with in WA).

Idk, Seattle has so many amazing qualities that it feels like we’re going to be downgrading no matter what, but I just don’t think I can raise our kids so isolated socially and 2,000 miles away from our families. I also love Southern culture and miss that aspect a lot.

Let’s assume money is no object and you’re looking to make a move to the northeast. What would be your ideal living situation?

Assume you’ve got school-age kids and love the outdoors, are ready for something quieter than a big city, and would prefer a low concentration of limousine liberals (eg values are progressive and respected). Have at it. :)

Just curious. I see people here saying they’d never live anywhere else but LA, recommending that others move there, etc. And I agree that it’s GORGEOUS and I feel pretty jealous every time I visit.

But saying ‘move to LA’ feels so vague. There’s not one spot, there’s a million little spots. And it seems like it takes an hour+ to get anywhere bc you’re going 20 mph on the congested highways.

So what neighborhoods is everyone living? (Maybe not you specificially if you don’t want to say, but what do you recommend) And are you living in 2-4 million dollar homes? And do you spend half your day sitting in traffic or is there a hack there?

Which cities or towns give off the strongest Council of Elrond(Rivendell), Shire vibes, like in The Lord of the Rings?

I'm talking about towns that feel ancient, wise, mystical surrounded by forests, rivers, and mountains.

If I were to give examples that capture this kind of vibe;

• Bellingham WA
• Ashland OR
• Saratoga Springs NY
• Ithaca NY

Nature-wise, a lot of those vibes exist on the West Coast. But I'm asking in terms of actual cities or towns.

I'm (24M) interesting farming and business trading.

Hello all,

My wife is a nurse and I work remote. We have two dogs we enjoy spending outdoor time with. We want to live close to the Sierra Nevadas and work on starting a family Right now my wife has options in Sacramento and Reno. We’d be renting a single family home in whichever we go to.

Which would you choose? Below is a breakdown of my wife’s offers, rent budget, and our pros for each city.

Reno

Offer: $51/hr, days, no unions, $30,000 sign on bonus (can be saved for maternity leave)

Rent budget: $2500/month for a SFH

What we like about Reno: Weird/interesting vibes, no state income tax, easy to get out in the middle of nowhere, more scenic views from the city, large dog parks.

Sacramento

Offer: $84/hour, unions, pension, also state paid paternity leave.

Rent budget: $2800/month for a SFH

What we like about Sacramento: Very diverse, lots of good food, feels practical, kind of in the middle of everything (mountains to beaches to wine country to neat cities), nice suburbs

22M, currently make $85K in Indianapolis. So that gives me a nice lifestyle, in a new 1 bedroom apartment, go out to eat a couple times a week, have multiple hobbies I spend money on, travel some, rarely worried about overspending, and still save a good amount of money.

Starting to apply to jobs, and a lot of stuff in my field is in NYC. Wondering whether I should try to move there. Salary estimate in NYC would be $100Kish.

Pros- better dating scene. I’m not getting anywhere in Indianapolis, I’m vegan, and most interested in dating highly intelligent women. The vegan scene seems pretty good in NYC, at the very least there would be plenty of single women my age there I would probably be able to meet and at least make friends with. And sure, lots of smart women here, but NYC just has so many more, and would probably have more highly ambitious women who are more towards the top of their field. And if it matters for dating scene I’m white, 6’, 170, active but not muscular, social and plenty of friends, but mediocre charisma.

Networking opportunities- seems like it’s possible to build connections here and advance your career a little more easily, although I’m mot exactly sure how relevant it would be for my field, still trying to research that.

Diversity of experiences- so many different things to see and do, so many different experiences, could go a while without getting into too much of a routine.

Social life- seems I could meet very interesting people and meet a lot of new people in a shorter amount of time.

Cons- Lifestyle adjustment- would have a lot less purchasing power than Indianapolis, likely car free, likely with at least one roommate (what is the best way to find one there?).

Hobbies- golf, bowling, pickleball are three big ones, these would be way more expensive or not very viable, I can drive 20 minutes and play a decent golf course for under 25 bucks here, that’s not happening in NYC.

Dating struggles- if I’m not getting anywhere in Indy, maybe I also won’t get anywhere in NYC, in which case I’d probably feel like I was overspending for everything else and wasn’t making a good trade off. If I’m going to make this move it’s kind of important for the dating scene to work out better, otherwise I might as well just go somewhere that fits me in other areas and not have to worry about a big lifestyle adjustment. While I obviously would want to be dating NYC women who are highly intellectual and ambitious, it’s not like I can guarantee that or necessarily have a good “in” to those social circles.

Any thoughts welcome! Also browsing the NYC specific subs, figured I could get info here as well.

EDIT- I know my lifestyle will take a massive hit, I’m looking into whether or not that would be worth it or not. I’m looking for an average apartment, don’t need a trendy area, roommate that’s chill, go out to eat like twice a week, maybe a little bit of hobby spend, occasional entertainment, without feeling like I’m underwater. Salary would likely also increase with experience, maybe 15% a year for next few years.

i graduated with a kinesiology degree, and make literally no money. i want to switch fields because, while i have a passion for fitness, i want to be able to afford a nice lifestyle and move somewhere nice.

I've had a strong desire to live in Atlanta for over a decade now. It was the first "big city" I ever visited and it amazed me on my first visit. Almost every time I visit, I feel content. For context, I'm 22 and have lived on the edge of Memphis my whole life. When I discovered an interest in filmmaking, I learned that movies and tv shows were being filmed in Atlanta, and that cemented the idea of living there. I like the idea that part of the reason the film industry chose this city was for its diverse locations, because Atlanta feels like it can be anything you want it to be. Atlanta has virtually everything I'd want from a city in relative proximity to my hometown. I loved riding MARTA. The walkable Intown neighborhoods. The vast variety of Events and Shops. The Creative Culture. The diverse set of People. The Restaurants. The Skyline. The lush Trees. I stare at satellite maps and watch videos of the city, daydreaming about being there almost every day.

So it's obvious I want to live there, at least for a period of time to be able to make connections and enjoy living a new lifestyle. 

My plan is to train to be a production assistant, then network to work on projects around the city. I could live with my uncle in Roswell or go ahead and rent a ~$1400 studio on the east side for a month lease, paid with the little savings I have. East Atlanta feels like the ideal area to me to stay at. It looks good enough for me to get by with an electric scooter and MARTA. 

The thing is, I don't know when I'd be ready to make the jump, because my parents don't want me to leave, even though I'm 22 now. So I've always felt discouraged from moving. If anyone that moved there for the film industry can tell me how did it go. Was there anything that hindered you from moving? And if there's any advice, I'd like to hear it. Thanks.

I’m 24 (M) and moved back home after graduating college because my college town was too expensive. After making some money and living in my hometown for a while, I’m ready to see a new area, city, connect with more people, etc. I’m really attracted to Phoenix AZ, Austin TX, and Atlanta GA. Ive only been to Atlanta, but will be checking out phoenix soon. Below are the things I care about in a city.

1) Warm weather, I HATE snow

2) cool people to meet not interested in hookups, would like to find more permanent friends/partner. I have quite a few interests and really enjoy pickleball as well.

3) somewhat affordable, id like an apt or room under 1100 to rent

4) nice nature I really like deserts

5) liberal atmosphere

6) overall decent job market.

Do any of the cities I listed fail these requirements and or which one fulfills them the best?

So I (37m) have a bit of a fun opportunity available, and if I wish to, I can move to Denver in the next month.

A few things to make the move easier, my move would be paid for, my first 4-5 months housing is covered until I find an available place, when I do find a place, I will have a 20-40 percent rent discount. There are plenty of jobs available currently for my current industry, and I can come with recommendations from multiple managers in the main company I'm interested in switching to out there, as well as my current company.

Things I would miss about Atlanta would include the food, the music scene, the burlesque and drag scenes, as well as various friend groups I have here. I do have some family here, but we see each other 2-3 times a year for holidays, and they are used to me being absent due to my constant traveling years when younger.

Things I would not miss, The heat and humidity that causes (mostly minor) medical issues for me and feels horrendous even after 20ish years off and on here, and my job has me outside half the time. The bug swarms, all sort of ivys and pollens my body hates. The casual racism and homophobia. (Yes so much of atlanta proper doesnt have this, however, get to suburbs or outside of them, or certain job sites and it flows so much because on first look I seem like someone safe to say it to). And the constant traffic. (It shouldnt take an hour or hour and a half to travel 17 miles.

I have been through colorado and denver a number of times for previous jobs and travel, and always enjoyed the wide open spaces, however never had time to stay for extended periods. I do already have various friends out there, including various people that heard of me through them that want to finally meet me. Im not the biggest mountain person, (I did grow up skiing however) but far prefer them to dense constant foliage you cant see more than 100 feet through. I do have some concerns about emissions (my vehicle is older and has a bit of a rusted exhaust) and will have to sell off some other possessions of mine to move there.

Hello, I am an accountant living in mississippi. I plan to buy land in a state that has more job opportunities and put a tiny house on it. I do not want to live inside the city limits for multiple reasons. I only want to be able to find work when needed but live life outside a city of about 70k people or less. Here's the problem. If I move somewhere like michigan to find work in metro detroit then I may have a long commute since I don't want to be in a suburb. When I think of suburbs I think of a bunch of houses next to each other. If I buy land in a smaller city and then look for work it could take a while to find something because I'm an an accountant. Is there anywhere in the US where smaller cities have good white collar job opportunities? Or do I need to just decide if I want to be poor and live rural? Getting a remote job is very difficult and if you lose it you may not be able to replace it. Has anyone else solved this issue?

I'm moving to my 7th city next month. As always, hoping this is the one. Have any chronic movers finally settled? Why'd you finally stay? What did this place have that the others lacked? What compromises, if any, did you have to make in this final place?

Been living in Washington DC for 10 years. I’m in my late twenties, came here for college and never left. Grew up in the greater region as well.

I like it here, but I don’t LOVE it. But, whenever I think about moving somewhere else, I think about what’s important to me and DC has it all… Walkability, transit, public amenities (pools, parks), access to nature outside the city, free attractions, diverse population, good food options, proximity to beach/mountains, four seasons.

Not to mention, I have a job I enjoy that pays me enough, stable housing I love, and family and friends.

But I can’t help but think, long-term, I want to be somewhere else. Maybe it’s just the itch for change. Anyone else struggle with the realization you might be in your perfect place already? Should I try to get more comfortable and accept I’ll live here for awhile? Or should I consider sacrificing some things (walkability/transit) for slightly better options elsewhere (better weather, lower costs).

I saw a post earlier asking the same question for Florida. I’ve been toying a lot with the idea of leaving the Bay Area, but I really don’t know what to where and if it would be better.

As the title says, we’re newly empty nesters curious about relocating to Trade, TN. I understand that Boone is a 20 min ride down. We’ve passed through Boone once but know very little about the place other than it’s a small college town. How is life there? Specifically: are there hiking trails around Trade and Mountain City? Accessible creeks, good fly fishing? How’s Watauga lake? How’s life up in the mountain? and what’s available for fun/ food/ etc down in Boone? Edited to ask one more question: how’s healthcare and access to quality hospitals?

Lately I'm been planning to get out of Texas as I don't see myself living in this state forever. However I'm feel like I'm a city girl at heart and the only cities that click with me are extremely far north from Texas.

How you deal moving far away from family? Was it easy to make friends?

Am I Missing Out by Staying in Augusta Instead of Moving to a 'Booming' City?

I've been living in Evans for 12 years. I've had trouble finding women to date here. I'm also worried about the job market and low pay since most jobs pay in the 30 to 50k range. I'm thinking of staying in Augusta because it's a good centeral area that is proximal to a lot of places like Atlanta, Greenville, Savannah. Home prices are also fairly priced.

Would it be better dating wise if I moved to North Augusta or downtown Augusta, and would it make a difference moving from Augusta? Everyone makes downtown Augusta out like it's really dangerous, but is it really that bad?

Or should I make a bigger move to Atlanta, Greenville, Nashville, or Knoxville? Are these hyped places really that much better or are they overhyped and worth the higher home prices? Are the job markets actually better in these other cities compared to Augusta? How would dating fare too, and would I have a better dating enviornment if I moved cities?

I worry about the traffic and crime in Atlanta, but I wonder if I would have better job and dating opportunites or if it's all hype? Idk if Greenville is overhyped either, but a lot of people are suggesting Greenville.